Opposites Attract
by jaded river hussie
Summary: Random Drake/Mindy flash fics and vignettes; not necessarily related or in any way chronological. May include anything from pre-relationship UST to established relationship.
1. Bored Now

**Title:** Opposites Attract

**Rating:** will vary, probably K+ to T

**Note:** Because sometimes I have ideas that only solidify into brief scenes and I desperately try not to write novella-length fics (like Shake the Glitter Off turned out to be). Some of these bits will be prompt-inspired; it will be noted if any ficlets are connected. Having this as a master post to update is easier than constantly posting new stories. Each fic/vignette will be less than 1000 words.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters or locations unless I say otherwise.

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><p><strong>Bored Now<strong>

((Post-_Mindy Loves Josh - _Rating: K+; Words: 616))

There's really no reason for Josh and Mindy to continue pairing up on class projects together since they've broken up but on occasion they do. It's more of an annoyance than anything else for Drake when he's leaving the house or returning home and Mindy's sitting there on the sofa or at the table with Josh.

Drake returns home from a lackluster date one Friday evening to find Mindy sitting on the sofa, books and printouts spread out over the coffee table. He glances around the room, leaning over to peek through the window into the kitchen. "Where's Josh?"

"Crazy Steve had a meltdown at the Premiere and had to leave, that made them short staffed so Josh was called in to work," she says plainly.

"And you're still here why?"

Mindy looks up at him, annoyed in spite of the fact that _she_ is the guest in his home, for a second. "Because both Josh and your parents said that I was welcome to stay and continue working until I reached a reasonable stopping point for the night. I have yet to reach my stopping point."

Drake makes a face as he sits at the other end of the sofa, grabbing the remote and turning the television on. "Don't you have a hole to crawl back into?"

"I am actively ignoring you," she says, shuffling through a pile of index cards.

Drake mocks her as he turns up the volume on the television. "TV's not too loud for you, is it? I wouldn't want it to bother you."

She takes a deep breath and slowly releases it. She focuses on the task at hand.

Drake frowns. Why isn't she reacting? It's no fun messing with her if she doesn't react. Nah, it's still fun, just not as fun. He spends about ten minutes channel surfing, mostly because he notices how Mindy's hand balls into a fist every time he changes the channel. He grins, satisfied as he flips through every channel, barely paying attention to the images flashing across the screen. It's enough that he's getting on her nerves right now.

Mindy looks straight ahead, "Fine. You win." She starts the long process of gathering and organizing her belongings.

His smile grows and he sets the remote down on his leg. There's absolutely nothing of interest on TV but he's bored and it being on is what's getting Mindy to leave. He watches her body stretch as she reaches over the side of the sofa to pull her bookbag from being wedged between the sofa and the end table; the fabric of her skirt shifts a centimeter here and there. He tilts his head to the side as a completely unbidden thought enters his head.

She settles back in her seat, placing her nearly empty bag on the sofa between herself and Drake. She leans forward, grabbing the books that she'd already stacked, nice and neat, and sliding them into her bookbag.

All of a sudden, Drake's hand lands on the bag and he tugs it ever so slightly, catching Mindy's attention. She looks at him curiously. He leans forward quickly, his hand wrapping around her wrist, and presses his lips to hers. She freezes in shock as his lips move over hers. She lets her eyes close for just a second, opening them the instant she feels a lessening of pressure from Drake's lips on hers and she jerks backward, eyes wide.

Drake sits back, relaxes, crossing his leg, and begins to channel surf yet again as if nothing just happened.

She draws her eyebrows together in confusion. "Why did you kiss me?"

He shrugs, not bothering to look at her, "I was bored."

_*** Finis ***_


	2. Open Your Eyes

**Open Your Eyes**

((Post-series future fic; angst - Drake/Mindy, Mindy/OMC - Rating: K+; Words: 481))

There will probably be a follow-up to this.

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><p>When no one's paying them much attention, Drake grabs Mindy's hand and drags her from Josh's birthday party in full swing in the living room through the kitchen and into the pantry.<p>

"Drake, what are you—"

He pulls her left hand up and eyes the diamond ring with nothing short of disgust. "You're engaged?"

She yanks her hand out of his. She gives herself a moment to calm down. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, Luke and I are engaged."

"Since when?"

She holds her head up; she's defensive. "Last night."

"You're going to marry that loser?"

"Luke is not a loser. He is a wonderful intelligent successful man and he loves me."

Drake snorts, "He's an accountant; how lame is that?"

"Accounting is a very respectable profession; he works for one of the best accounting firms in the region. And why do you care?" she asks, folding her arms across her chest.

He shrugs, "I thought we had a good thing going."

"I had a brief lapse in my sanity." It's the excuse she uses time and time again when she's trying to rationalize her short-lived secret affair with Drake. "Whatever we were was a rebound thing while Luke and I were on a break."

"Your fiancé know that you cheated on him?"

She glares at him, her nostrils flaring—how dare he suggest such a thing? "I did _not_ cheat on him!"

"You just said that you two were on a break when _we_ were together! Isn't that cheating?"

"Oh, you know what I meant!"

They pause; their voices are getting louder and they're trying very hard to keep from yelling.

"You can't marry him."

"Why not?"

All she needs is one good reason. If Drake can give her one _very_ good reason to break her engagement, she will.

"Because!"

She shakes her head, "That's not a reason."

He can't grasp the words to say, he can't make them form in his head or on his tongue, so he kisses her instead in an attempt to communicate.

Mindy misinterprets it as him trying to distract her. She places her hands on his chest and pushes him away. She's disappointed. Same old Drake. It's all she needs to keep her resolve.

"You're not going to change my mind." She leaves walks out of the pantry and he follows her.

Drake tries again, "Do you love him?"

His query makes her stop. What kind of question is that? She looks over her shoulder at Drake, "Yes."

It's not the answer he was expecting and it certainly is not the answer that he wanted. She was supposed to say 'no' and realize that marrying Luke would be a big mistake. She's not supposed to be in love with the guy. Why can't she be like other girls?

Mindy leaves him standing in the kitchen, feeling lost and defeated.

_*** Finis ***_


	3. Open Your Eyes: One More Try

**Open Your Eyes: One More Try**

((Post-series future fic - Drake/Mindy, Mindy/OMC - Rating: K+; Words: 933)

There'll be another follow-up after this one.

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><p>Josh spots that cardboard carton at Drake's feet containing five open (and empty) beer bottles as he enters the living room of his brother's condo. "Rough day?"<p>

"You could say that." Drake twists the top of the sixth with a little difficulty and takes a gulp. "So, I'm thinking about crashing Mindy's wedding tomorrow."

Josh frowns and looks at his brother, confused. "Say what now?"

"Yeah. But I want to time it just right so that I'll burst through the doors when the priest or preacher or whatever asks if anyone objects. Like something out of a movie."

"Uh, Drake, I get that you've never liked Mindy, and maybe you've been waiting all this time to get revenge on her for trying to get you suspended, but don't you think that ruining her wedding might be, oh, I don't know, a little extreme?"

"What? No. This isn't about revenge. She shouldn't be marrying that loser," Drake grumbles.

"They're in love. And since when do you care who Mindy marries?"

"If she marries him, it's going to make me miserable for the rest of my life."

Josh contemplates what Drake just said then shakes his head, "Yeah, I don't get it."

"Oh, right. See, here's the thing: Mindy and I kind of had a little thing going on the side before she and Luke got back together."

"You what?"

"Mindy and I dated. Sort of."

Josh looks completely baffled for a few moments before he bursts into laughter.

"What's so funny?"

Between peals of laughter, Josh says, "You. And Mindy. You and Mindy." His laughter begins to die down. "Oh, Drake, you almost had me going there. Like anything would ever happen between you and Mindy."

"Seriously, Josh. We were together for four months. And there was also that one night after she and Luke had that fight the week before he popped the question."

The color is steadily draining from Josh's falling face. He squeaks, "You and Mindy?"

"Yeah, man."

"You and Mindy?" Drake nods; Josh lets out a shriek and starts pacing. "She—you—the two of you—when? How? How? _How?_"

"You remember your birthday party last year?"

"Yeah?" Josh makes a face. "Oh, no, tell me you two did not hook up at my party."

Drake gives him a sheepish grin, "Ok, I won't tell you."

"Aah! Why?"

Drake shrugs. "I don't know. One minute we talking and not being hateful and the next we were kissing and then we were kind of dating. Oh, and having sex."

"Why would you do that?"

"You went out with her; you know how…_persuasive_ she can be."

Josh gags a little. "Oh, that is so not what I was asking; I am asking how it wasn't just a one-time thing. And I still don't get why you're not okay with her marrying Luke."

Drake frowns, "Yeah. So, it turns out, I may have fallen in love with her. Yeah, pretty sure I did. And I tried to talk her out of it when they got engaged but she got all pissy and told me that she loves him. Him! The guy has no sense of rhythm. He's so boring and not as good-looking as me."

"Actually, Luke's a pretty good-looking guy and he's a fantastic dancer, plus he's got a great sense of humor—"

"Are you going to marry him too?" Drake asks spitefully.

Josh remembers that he should be trying to help Drake feel better. "Sorry. I was just pointing out some of his qualities that Mindy might find desirable in a mate."

"And I've got those same qualities!"

"Have you told Mindy that you love her?"

"No."

"And there it is. It's possible that if you had told her that, she wouldn't have gotten back together with Luke in the first place."

"I didn't know that I loved her until _after_ they got engaged! And she stopped answering and returning my calls and my texts, my e-mails and IMs. I can't tell her if she won't let me talk to her."

"Okay. But, interrupting her wedding is not the right way to go about letting her know how you feel about her."

"So what do I do?"

Josh scratches his head. He takes a deep breath, digging his cell phone out of his pocket. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but, let me try talking to her, okay? Maybe I can get her to listen to you for a few minutes."

Josh sighs as he hits the call button on his phone. Mindy answers after the third ring. "Hey, Mindy, big day tomorrow, huh?"

Drake stands up and walks over to Josh, trying not to get his hopes up.

"Yeah, about that, I'm at Drake's and he just told me the craziest thing about the two of—" Josh looks terrified and he pulls the phone away from his ear.

Mindy's yelling is loud enough for them to both hear: "_I am getting MARRIED tomorrow! _Married! _What reason could you possibly have for bringing _that_ up the night before my wedding?"_

Josh looks at Drake and shrugs, thrusting the phone at him. Drake grabs for the phone, nearly dropping it before bringing it up to his head. Even her breathing sounds angry and annoyed. At this point, he's just happy that she hasn't hung up yet. Without any preamble, he blurts, "I love you."

There's shocked silence on the other end for several seconds before Mindy barks, _"Your timing sucks,_" then hangs up.

Drake stares dejectedly at the phone for a moment before looking at Josh. "What time's the wedding?"

_*** Finis ***_


	4. Sunny Side Up

**Sunny Side Up**

((Post-series future fic; humor, fluff - Rating: K+; Words: 467)

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><p>Drake ducks down to avoid the egg hurtling through the air towards him; it slams into the refrigerator door and breaks, yolk and shell sliding down to the chrome door. He pops back up and surveys the mess that he and Mindy have made. All he said was that Mindy has more to learn from her mother when it comes to cooking. He wasn't trying to offend her. It's not like he was criticizing or doubting her abilities in the kitchen—it was an observation. He hadn't expected her to respond to the perceived insult by dumping a measuring cup full of baking flour over his head.<p>

"Shit."

She takes in the sight as well. "I'd say there's no need for that kind of language except—"

"Yeah." Drake points at Mindy's cheek, "You've got a bit of batter..."

She wipes her hand off on the dishtowel before she rubs her cheek with her hand. She considers not telling him that his hair is covered in flour. She scrunches up her nose a bit. "Your hair."

He frowns and shakes his head. There's still a decent amount of flour in his hair. "Did I get it?"

Mindy bites her lips, trying not to smile. "Come here," she says, extending her hand upwards to brush the remaining flour from Drake's hair.

"We need more eggs."

"You think?" She says sarcastically, bringing her hand back down to her side.

Drake picks a bit of eggshell out of Mindy's hair. "I can help you wash your hair. Sorry about that."

She raises an eyebrow, "I think you've helped enough for today, don't you?"

"I just thought I'd try making you breakfast."

"And I appreciate that, it was a very sweet thought, but if I'd left you to your own devices, you probably would have burnt the house down. My parents asked me to house sit because that is exactly the sort of thing they don't want to happen while they're gone."

He grins, "Yeah, but they also don't want me here with you while they're gone."

"Drake, they don't want you here when they _are_ here."

"Yeah, I noticed that. They kind of hate me. Like, a lot." He looks put out for a second then he shrugs it off. Smugly, "Sucks for them; you like me."

She rolls her eyes. "I think that we've established that I more than like you."

"Yeah, but I still like to hear you say it."

She wraps her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Drake's too caught up in the kiss that follows to notice that Mindy removes one of her arms from around his neck until he feels the pressure of something being smushed against the top of his head as he hears the cracking of an eggshell.

_*** Finis ***_


	5. Open Your Eyes: What It Takes

**Open Your Eyes: What It Takes**

((Post-series future fic; angst - Drake/Mindy, Mindy/OMC - Rating: K+; Words: 1000))

The last follow-up to Open Your Eyes. (Also my last update of the day.)

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><p>Mindy stares at her reflection in the full-length mirror. All that's missing is her veil and her bouquet. She's been on edge since Drake's confession of love the night before; the panic began to set in while her mother tightened the bodice laces of her wedding gown. She's hoping that if she does have an anxiety attack that it doesn't hit during the ceremony or reception.<p>

Goddamn Drake Parker.

She truly does love Luke, and he's so good to her and he's good for her; she never questions her sanity with him. Drake doesn't make her question her sanity, being with Drake proves that she is still certifiable; but those months with him made her feel so alive and in tune. Being with Luke—it's safe and complacent; there is no spontaneity, the status quo remains in place.

She's torn from her ruminations when she catches sight of movement in the mirror. She sucks in a breath when Drake's reflection comes into view behind hers. He looks stunned. She turns around, the fabric of her gown rustling, to face him. "What are you doing here? I told you in no uncertain terms were you to be at my wedding. You cannot be here."

Drake finds his voice, "You look amazing."

Why is he doing this now? She does not need this today. She's emotional enough as it is. "You have to go."

He nods. "I know, I just needed to see you before…." He's looking at her like his heart is breaking and he's just waiting for her to start putting it back together.

She starts to move towards him but she stops herself. She controls her voice, "I'm sorry this didn't turn out the way you wanted it to."

"Me too." He looks down at the floor for a few moments before looking back at her. "I just need to know one thing: Do you love me?"

"What?" It catches her completely off guard.

"Do you love me?"

She wants to look him in the eye and lie, tell him that she never has and she never will; that she doesn't know, but she does know that she loves her fiancé. Admitting to him that she reciprocates will bring everything to a screeching halt. She can't do that, not to Luke, their families, and their friends, less than an hour before she's supposed to walk down the aisle. She just can't, so she doesn't answer Drake, instead saying, "Last night you said that you loved me, did you mean it?"

He steps closer to her. "Yes."

"If you really love me, then that means that you should want me to be happy; Luke makes me happy."

She's making it nearly impossible to argue with her. He doesn't want to give up but she's practically begging him to. And since he loves her, since it'll make her happy, he'll do it. For her.

"Okay. I guess that's it." He sounds small and broken. He knows that if he asks if she was happy with him she'll only say that it was in the past. He forces a small smile and a wry chuckle, "If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

He leans forward and presses his lips to her cheek. "Good-bye, Mindy."

"Good-bye, Drake."

Drake makes his way out of the church, pausing to send Josh a text letting him know that he was unsuccessful. He drives around for about an hour before he ends up in a bar. He figures after a few hours he's drowned his sorrows enough and he might as well go home to wallow in self-pity. The thought comes to him that this is all great songwriting material. He almost calls Josh to drive him home but he realizes that Josh is probably at Mindy and Luke's reception; he calls a cab instead.

He's a little drunk and fumbles with his keys and the door. He starts to turn away from the entryway into the living room towards the kitchen when he does a double take, spinning around to see Mindy rising from her seated position on his sofa. She's wearing jeans and tank top, her hair still curled, styled in an elaborate updo.

"Hi."

He stares at her as they move closer to one another. He's still not sure that she's actually there. Drake desperately wants this to be real. "Shouldn't you be at your wedding reception?"

"There can't be a wedding reception if there wasn't a wedding," she says, giving him a timid smile as she holds up her unadorned left hand, wiggling her fingers.

A grin spreads on his face as he scoops her into his arms, kissing her and spinning her around. He lowers her so that her feet are on the ground and he reluctantly breaks the kiss. He needs to know. "What happened?"

"You know the vow about forsaking all others?" He nods. "I could not make the words come out of mouth, they just wouldn't and then 'I love Drake' slipped out instead. The ceremony fell apart with astonishing speed after that."

He's leaning in for another kiss and she's stepping back. Mindy gives him a stern look. "I just publically broke a man's heart and wasted an obscene amount of my parents' money, so there's something I need to say before we go any further. If, in the future, you have a change of heart about us being together, I will spend the rest of my life making yours a living Hell."

"Huh. I can live with that." Drake catches her lips in another kiss then breaks away abruptly. "Hey, what about your honeymoon?"

"What about it?"

"It's kind of late for a refund."

She's incredulous. "_We_ are _not_ going on my honeymoon."

"Why not?"

"Be—" Mindy stops herself. There's no reason why they can't; there's reason why they _shouldn't_. Her parents did paid for it and it would be a shame to waste it. She smiles at him. "What the hell."

_*** Finis ***_


	6. Don't Look Back in Anger

**Don't Look Back in Anger**

((post-series; angst - Rating: K+; Words: 711))

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><p>"What the hell was I thinking when I chose you?" There are times when Mindy feels like breaking something—a dish, a glass, a lamp, a tchotchke—like it's right for that moment, as if it will make her feel better.<p>

"Oh, well, clearly you weren't! Maybe you can chalk it up to temporary insanity—oh wait, your insanity isn't temporary, is it?"

Two years in and they have fallen into a pattern of having these all-consuming blow-ups, never break-ups—not yet at least—over the most miniscule of things. He eventually storms out, slamming the door behind him and she fights to keep furious tears at bay.

When things are good, they are lovely and wonderful and fantastic; when things are bad, they are _bad_. Depending on how big, how bad, their fight was, Drake might spend the night at his parents' house or at Josh's. Other times, _the majority_ of the time, when the fight is one that is simply par for the course that is their volatile relationship, he comes back home around two or three in the morning and slides into bed next to Mindy. She's always restless after these fights and she can't fall asleep for the life of her because she's counting down the minutes until Drake returns because these fights always end the same way. Frantic kisses and quick sloppy sex that leaves them both feeling unfulfilled. It's always better in the morning when Mindy's alarm goes off so that she can get ready for work, no matter which of them initiates it, whispered, desperate apologies and assurances, declarations of love.

They don't happen all of the time, months pass between fights, but it's part of who they are as a couple. Petty squabbles, lovers' spats, and serious conflicts—it's not all that they are but it is ingrained in them. They always make up afterwards. To date, the longest it's taken them to make-up after a fight was nineteen days and that was due to something completely beyond their control.

The love is never in question.

Fidelity is never an issue except for the few times when it was; he's never actually been unfaithful and neither has she. Drake can't help that women throw themselves at him and Mindy's always known that; she knows that he's always been a player but she has always refused to play his game, at least not by his rules. There are times when Drake can't stop himself from flirting back and Mindy believes that turnabout is fair play. She's always satisfied when she sees his jaw tighten because she knows it's one of the signals of the onset of his jealousy; then she'll smirk at him, her eyes beckoning him. He admits that he was wrong and she says that she knows.

In the beginning whenever he screwed up, which was often, he'd try to buy her forgiveness with gifts or dinner at a fancy restaurant until she finally got frustrated and told him that he was going about things all wrong. All she needed was for him to apologize and be sincere about it, to acknowledge that he knew he'd done or said something wrong and what it was. Mindy is always contrite and straightforward whenever it comes time for her to apologize, the words leave her mouth quickly and softly.

There are times when they both wonder if it's all worth it, the fights and the arguments that they have, that have them.

He keeps waiting for her to realize that she wants someone smarter than him, someone who doesn't toss her brief stint in a mental facility in her face when they're angry, someone more grounded; someone more like her.

She waits for him to tire of her, just like he has tired of every girl he dated before her. She expects that the time he spends on the road, the time he spends away from her, is one of the reasons that he hasn't yet. The absence allows his heart to remain fond of her.

They fight so that they can remind themselves just how much they care. They fight so that it will be easier to bear when it all falls apart because neither one of them expects their love to last.

_*** Finis ***_


	7. Best Laid Plans

**Best Laid Plans**

((post-series future fic - humor, fluff - Rating: K; Words: 651))

could possibly be tied to Sunny Side Up

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><p>Mindy spent hours preparing the special dinner and dessert, taking the day off from work, to make sure that everything was perfect for Drake. Now, she is trying very hard to give him the benefit of the doubt because she doesn't want to believe that he bought her lingerie for their anniversary, despite the tell-tale pink striped gift bag sitting on the table in front of her. She doesn't care if it's one of those stupid diamond encrusted bras, there had better not be lingerie in that bag. She knows that he's not always the brightest, but he cannot be <em>that<em> stupid.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Drake asks nervously.

He must know that he's screwed up; clearly, he's mentally preparing himself for her wrath.

She does not want to look in the bag. She wants to leave the tissue paper exactly as it is, obscuring whatever lacy, gauzy bits of fabric that are laying underneath. It's their first anniversary as a couple and she'd like for them to make it through the day without fighting.

She sighs, reluctantly dragging the bag closer to her. "Is there a gift receipt? In case it doesn't fit?"

Drake frowns. "Just open it. You don't even know what it is and you already want to return it?"

She steels herself for disappointment as she starts to slowly pull the tissue paper from the bag. She tells herself that she will not yell at him and she will still let him stay the night. She removes about half a dozen layers before she freezes. There's no lingerie in the bag but a small black ring box. She looks at him, petrified and shocked, "Drake, what is—"

He takes her left hand in his and his voice is trembling ever so slightly as he begins, "I love you and I'm pretty sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Mindy picks up her glass and drains the rest of the wine out of it. This is so not what she was expecting.

He's about to slide out of his chair and down onto one knee but she's not quite reacting the way the way that Drake had imagined that she would and he starts to panic. He lets go of her hand, his face falls and he shifts in his seat, "Oh God, you're going to say no, aren't you?"

"What?" Her voice squeaks a little. She swallows, counting to ten to calm down. "You haven't asked me anything yet."

"I'm not going to ask you if you're just going to say no!"

"Did I say that I was going to say no?"

"No." Drake looks and sounds perplexed.

They're both growing antsy. Mindy's getting upset that not only did he start to propose but that he's had the audacity to stop and has decided that she's going to turn him down. "Then stop putting words in my mouth and ask me already!"

He starts to raise his voice, "Fine!"

She raises her voice, "Fine!"

"I will."

"So do it!"

He snatches the bag from in front of her and pulls the box out, yanking the lid open and slamming the ring box down before her. "Will you marry me?" he shouts.

She answers with an equally loud and harsh, "Yes!"

Drake's taken aback, a little because she actually said yes, but mostly because the proposal culminated in a shouting match. It's really not how he had planned it at all. His volume returns to normal, "Yes? Really?"

Mindy softens. She gets up and walks around the table, sits across Drake's lap, and kisses him. "Yes, really, you idiot." She reaches across the table, picking up the box and gives it to Drake. She holds her left hand out, fingers spread apart. "Yes."

"Yes?" It's still sinking in as he slides the ring onto her finger.

She smiles, "Yes."

_*** Finis ***_


	8. Cooling

**Cooling**

((Alternate History - Josh and Mindy did kiss but they did not get back together after the events of _Mindy's Back_ - Rating: K; Words: 302))

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><p>"I told you to use sunscreen," Mindy says, applying a liberal amount of aloe vera to Drake's sun burnt back.<p>

"I did use sunscreen."

"Did you remember to re-apply?"

"No?"

She sighs and looks over at Josh. "Did you remind him to re-apply after being in the water?"

Her ex feigns innocence, "I may have forgotten to."

One of her eyebrows arches upwards, "Yet miraculously you seem to have avoided getting sunburned; care to explain?"

Josh forces a chuckle, "Well, you know, I stayed out of the sun. I had a hat and a beach umbrella for protection."

"Dude, no way." Realization has dawned on Drake. "You said you were cool with me and Mindy hanging out."

"Yeah, well, that was before hanging out turned into making out." Josh grumbles.

Mindy shakes her head. "We barely dated for a few weeks two years ago, Josh. You really don't get to play the jealous, possessive ex card."

He whines with a pout, "I know, but I thought the Bro Code still applied."

"The 'Bro Code?' Really, Josh?" Drake scoffs. "Do you know how many girls would be off limits if I followed the Bro Code? Too many. You know I like having options."

Mindy's eyes harden as she jabs a finger into a dark red patch of skin on Drake's shoulder. He jumps and lets of a cry of pain.

He amends his last statement, "I liked having options before we started dating?"

"Better."

Josh mutters, "Yeah, just don't use the words 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' or he'll freak out."

"Drake?" Mindy prompts.

"We're boyfriend and girlfriend," Drake says quickly to avoid being poked again, twitching as the words roll off his tongue.

"Aww, man!"

"Suck it up." It's an order she directs at both of them before rewarding Drake with a quick kiss.

_*** Finis ***_


	9. Falling From Grace

**(Watch This Space, I'm Open to) Falling From Grace**

((alternate ending to _Eric Punches Drake _- Drake/Mindy hate!sex - Rating: M; Words: 961))

**Notes: **title_ comes from the Sneaker Pimps song "Six Underground;"_ also, this is the closest I get to writing to smut

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><p>Mindy stops by looking for Josh so that she can clear the air. His reaction, his jealousy, had been entertaining at first but now he was going a little overboard and it was time for her to inform him that she and Chad were related and definitely not dating.<p>

She's perturbed to find Drake upstairs instead of Josh; she's never had to clarify to Megan before which of her brothers she was looking for and figures that Josh must have left recently.

"Where's Josh?"

"Don't know and if I did, I wouldn't tell you so that you could have the satisfaction of rubbing your new boyfriend in his face."

"I don't know where you came up with the idea that Chad was my boyfriend—"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you're always together. It's a real bitch move to bring your date to our house and Josh's job."

"Excuse me? First off, Josh made no secret of the fact that he was moving on. Second, Chad is my cousin. Third—you're a dumbass. Fourth, why do you care? Didn't you want to throw a celebratory party after Josh and I broke up?"

"Yeah," he says with a chuckle; he had really wanted to make a banner that read _Ding Dong the Witch is Dead_ until he found out that just because Josh and Mindy had broken up didn't mean she was going to disappear from their lives. "And I don't care. But Josh does and I care about Josh."

She narrows her eyes at him. "Really, because you sound a little jealous there yourself, Drake, but that's not possible because you hate me."

"Yeah, because you're cuckoo and evil; you tried to get me suspended!"

"Oh, get over it, you like school about as much as you like me."

"Yeah, but I like being around cute girls who think that I'm cute."

"You have the worst priorities and no direction whatsoever."

"At least people _like_ me."

"Plenty of people like me and not for superficial reasons."

"At least I'm not crazy!"

"At least I'm not stupid!"

They're standing toe to toe and they'll both blame the other for what happens next when their lips meet. The kiss is rough and angry. Mindy's hands tangle themselves in Drake's hair as he grips her waist. They break apart briefly.

"This doesn't mean that we like each other, does it?" Drake asks with trepidation.

"No, I still hate you," she says with a sneer.

"Oh, good. I hate you too."

She pulls his head back down because she doesn't hate him as much when they're kissing instead of talking and this is wrong, it's so wrong but it feels so good and it almost feels right when he backs her against the desk and starts pushing her skirt up. It feels sinfully divine when his hand moves between her legs and she's gasping and bucking against his hand. He's not even trying to be gentle with her and that makes it better because there's no way this would feel as good if he were gentle, if he cared. She likes that he hates her and that she hates him.

Mindy doesn't even think about it when her hands fly to undo his belt and the button and zipper of his jeans because right now she just wants more, she wants him. It's not why she came but it's what she's getting, what she's giving, and what she'll take.

She starts stroking him, and he hisses, "Fuck," his breath harsh and hot against her ear and he's fishing his wallet out of his back pocket, hoping there's a condom in it. They both know that if they have to pause for more than thirty seconds that they're both going to come to their senses and neither of them wants that right now. It's bad enough that Drake needs both hands to search his wallet and Mindy whimpers with a pout when his fingers leave her and she slows her hand.

Drake triumphantly pulls a condom from his wallet, his eyes dark with the combined animosity and previously latent desire he feels for Mindy, desire that he sees reflected in her eyes. His voice is huskier than she's ever heard it and she knows that it's due to this situation when he orders, "Panties off."

There's a voice, perhaps her conscience, perhaps the beginning of a mental break, telling her to stop while she still has the chance, while her virtue is intact.

He doesn't ask if she's sure or ready and Mindy doesn't offer any protestations or affirmations because for either to do so would change the atmosphere and make them different people, people who actually feel something for each other. And they don't. It's hate and lust and hormones, and, _fuck_, there's no more denying that they _just want and need_.

As it turns out, losing her virginity is not quite as she expected from the conversations she's overheard in the girls' locker room or on the bus. It's not over in five minutes but it doesn't last more than ten and Mindy finds her own pleasure about a minute after Drake's comes and goes and he's still inside her, one of her hands is fisting in his shirt as she cries out, "Oh God, I hate you."

After a few minutes, they return to reality then just like that it's over and they separate and it's almost as if absolutely nothing happened. They're surrounded by stale air and silence, desire fulfilled and now dissipating, animosity taking control as they collect themselves.

Mindy smoothes her skirt down and clears her throat. "Will you please tell Josh I stopped by?"

He smirks at her. "Yeah, I'll tell him that you came...by."

_*** Finis ***_


	10. Close, But Not Touching

_Note on this and all of my D&J Drake/Mindy stories—I'm not sure how much updating I'm going to be doing over the next month or so. I signed up back in the fall to write a Warehouse 13/Eureka crossover for the LJ Small Fandom Big Bang and deadlines are approaching so I'm going to be trying to focus as much as I can on that._

_Reviews are love!_

**Close, But Not Touching**

((Post-series future fic - part of the OYE universe; pre-Open Your Eyes - pre-Drake/Mindy - Rating: K+; Words: 833))

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><p>Drake ducks into the backyard for a little peace and quiet. It's Josh's birthday party but people keep shifting their focus to him, continually asking him when he's going to release another album. He hasn't told anyone that Spin City is leaning towards dropping him from the label since his last album barely made it onto the charts.<p>

Drake's not the only person taking a break from the party. It takes him a few seconds to recognize that the young woman sitting by the pool is Mindy Crenshaw; he can't recall having seen her at the party before now.

"You do know that the party's inside?"

She'd been lost in her own little world and his voice causes her to jump, her hair whipping around as she looks over her shoulder. She regards him with curiosity for a moment before she responds, "I do know that the party's inside. I just needed a little fresh air. What about you? You have plenty of adoring fans in there; how did you manage to tear yourself away?"

She's not being mean, not really, but she is poking fun at him.

Drake's not sure why but he gives Mindy an answer that he thinks she'll get a kick out of. "I used the phrase 'itching and burning sensation.'"

She snorts. "I've had the displeasure of meeting legions of your fans; I'm sure someone would have offered to help you apply ointment."

He shudders, "Eww." He sits in a chair next to her. "Where's What's His Face?"

"Luke and I broke up a couple weeks ago," she admits. Mindy waits for Drake to make a scathing remark about how Luke is probably better off, that he came to his senses. It was more of a mutual, somewhat amicable break-up—not too terribly unlike her break-ups with Josh.

"Here's to being single," he says flippantly.

He doesn't quite seem like himself so she has to ask, "Are you okay?"

Drake doesn't know why but he feels like he can talk her so he spills his guts to her about his troubles with the record company, how much more he's been trying to focus on his music as a craft and not as a tool to get dates.

"Drake, you've been a musician for as long as I've known you; surely you're not going to let something like not having a record contract stop you from doing what you love, especially something that makes you so happy."

He squirms a little. "I don't know how I feel about this."

She looks at him funny, "Feel about what?"

"You being supportive and nice."

She sighs. "Yeah, well, I was never the horrible girl you tried to make me out to be. Well, aside from that time I framed you and tried to get you suspended."

"You mean the time you went bonkers?" It slips out so easily.

Her lips form a thin line. "Yes, that time I went 'bonkers' as you so eloquently put it."

"Sorry," he says with a shrug.

"It's not your fault that I lacked an adequate outlet for the mental stress and strain that I put on myself back then." Her tone is as biting as it is teasing, "Just like it's not your fault that you were horn-dog that chased everything in a skirt."

"Not _everything_," he says pointedly. He doesn't have to elaborate.

"That's because you hated me."

"Only because you hated me first."

Mindy cocks her head to the side. "I never really hated you, Drake. Initially, I resented you because you squandered your intellectual potential. There was no reason for you to be placed in the same classes as Josh and I instead of remedial classes if you didn't have the smarts. You just chose not to use them; _that's_ what I hated about you. That and your cavalier attitude about how you treated the girls you used and dated."

"I—" Drake stops, frowning a little, thinking better of whatever he was about to say; her assessments aren't too far off the mark. But now he's tired of talking about himself and his problems so he steers the conversation back to her. "We all have our own ways of dealing with stress, even if it's ignoring it."

"Indeed we do." Their eyes meet and there are thoughts formulating in her head, connecting dots between outlets for stress to being on the rebound. Rebound. She'll chalk her actions up to being on the rebound and this odd tension that seems to be building between them as she rocks forward and gives Drake a quick kiss on the lips.

Drake opens his mouth then closes it again. He really doesn't know how to process what just happened. "Did you just—"

"Let's not speak of this ever again. I didn't mean—" she's cut off by his lips on hers.

When he pulls back, Drake looks just as surprised as she does. He clears his throat, "We should probably get back inside."

_*** Finis ***_


	11. Halfway Across the Sky

**Halfway Across the Sky**

((Post-series fic - Drake/Mindy pre-resolved sexual tension, past Josh/Mindy - Rating: K+; Words: 999))

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><p>Beyond all rhyme and reason, she goes home with him. It's weird to be back in the Parker-Nichols house when Josh isn't there and even weirder to be upstairs in the bedroom he shared with Drake. She'd never spent much time in the room, even when she and Josh were dating. Once they'd rounded second base, it was as if he were afraid. He just wasn't comfortable with the idea of having "intimate relations" in a room he shared; he'd always mumble something about "respect" and "sanctity." Mindy had been concerned that he was just making excuses until it turned out that he was completely comfortable in <em>her<em> bedroom.

But that was their senior year of high school and the following summer. Then a final amicable break-up because the distance would be too great and Mindy had read up on the statistics concerning both high school sweethearts and long-distance relationships of college freshmen and presented them to Josh. If they wanted, they could get back together after graduate school. Josh starts dating a girl in his dorm just before fall break and Mindy is too focused on her studies to care about her love life, let alone Josh's.

They hang out over winter break and she's surprised to discover that she doesn't feel the slightest shred of jealousy or longing when Josh talks about his new girlfriend. She sees Drake once, when he stumbles down the stairs and into the kitchen for breakfast one afternoon. She and Josh are laughing about something when Drake's eyes land on her as he's exiting the kitchen and he gets a odd look on his face, like he's baffled, then he shuffles back into the kitchen. She figures that it's probably too early for his brain to formulate some insipid insult about her new haircut.

Mindy relaxes when classes resume; she still studies diligently but she's making time to cement the friendships that formed in the fall. She starts dating again, nothing serious. Spring Break finds her back home. It's been years since she felt the real sense of freedom from being single. She knows that she's pretty, she's not conceited about it, but she had always been so wrapped up in Josh that she never noticed before when other guys were noticing her.

Now, all she does is notice and she notices Drake noticing her one night when she's chatting with Eric and Craig at some random party. Drake's looking at her like for the life of him he cannot figure out why she would give the time of day to either of them.

She's warily eyeing the bottles of alcohol sitting on the drink table in front of her when Drake appears next to her, pulling a beer out of a cooler on the floor. "You drink?" he asks, sounding surprised.

"I do a lot of things that I'm sure would tarnish your oh so high opinion of me," she says drily, settling for a beer herself.

"You look good."

She looks dumbfounded. She's waiting for the world to go careening off its orbit and into the Sun. It doesn't matter that he's been practically leering at her, she never thought he'd say anything _nice_ to her. "Did you just pay me a compliment?"

"Beer goggles," he says with a shrug.

That's more like it.

Mindy lets the comment roll right off her back. "Where's your date? Surely she's missing you by now."

"Don't have one."

Her tone is full of mocking, "The illustrious Drake Parker is without a date? I may need to mark this on my calendar."

"Ha ha. I'm cleaning up my act; the execs at Spin City weren't too happy when that Drake Daters Anonymous website was created."

Mindy snickers. "Browsing that site was the best stress relief when I was studying for finals last semester."

"That's great," he says sarcastically.

"Oh, whatever, Drake, you had that coming. You should've known better than to continue serial dating once you got famous."

"Hey, I can't help it if girls have always found me highly desirable. And they should. I'm a hot musician; I play guitar."

"How can you stand to be so humble?" Mindy asks flatly.

Drake smirks at her, lifting the bottle to his lips. "Part of my charm."

He's taking all of her mocking and sarcasm in good stride and it's throwing Mindy a little. It's like he finally switched on his brain and he's starting to grow up. And he keeps looking at her like he's undressing her with his eyes and as disturbing as that is, she kind of likes it and _that_ is even more disturbing.

Their conversation turns to her classes and he asks if she's seeing anyone and she knows where he's trying to steer this conversation, where he's trying to steer her. She finishes her beer several minutes after he's finished his and she starts peeling the label.

"You wanna get out of here?"

She should say no, she should not allow herself to become a notch on his bedpost. But she's been anticipating this and she feels like she'd be letting herself down if she said no.

"Sure."

She expects one of them to pounce on the other when he shuts the bedroom door and locks it behind them but neither of them do. Their movements are stilted and Drake sets the six-pack he pulled from the fridge onto the coffee table and they both settle down on the sofa. He twists the top off one of the bottles and hands it to Mindy. Even though they both know why they're there, they're still self-conscious and nervous, wondering if the other is having second thoughts. One of them has to make the first move.

Mindy watches, dismayed, as Drake chugs his beer. She scoffs, "You need to be drunk to kiss me?"

He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand as he sets the empty bottle down. He angles his body towards her. "I'm not drunk."

_*** Finis ***_


	12. Groupie Etiquette

**Groupie Etiquette**

((alternate history/ending for _The Really Big Shrimp - _Rating: K+; Words: 943))

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><p>Mindy Crenshaw loathes groupies with every fiber of her being.<p>

She was never one of Drake's groupies or fangirls and she will always contest that the only reason she ended up making out with him in the first place at Helen's wedding was the overwhelming sentiment of romance and love in the air. (What happened after that initial kiss is immaterial.) That and the fact that she had spotted Josh bashfully flirting with some random blonde after she had told him that she missed him, that she missed _them_. It just so happened that Drake was leaning causally against a tree, exuberant, confident and incredibly proud of himself and there was something about that combination on him that Mindy had suddenly, and maybe a tad bit spitefully, found incredibly attractive. It helps that in addition to riding the high from the success of his first single that he's not expecting her to go from congratulating him to launching herself at him, her lips covering his as she laces her fingers behind his neck. It only takes him a few seconds to get into the kiss, placing his hands on her waist and spinning them both around so that her back ends up pressed against the tree as his tongue parts her lips. He's responding much more eagerly than she had expected, and _good God,_ he's a fantastic kisser.

It's the shrill cry of a Helen calling Drake's name, requesting another song, that causes them to separate.

Drake looks at Mindy, bewildered for a few seconds, before he shrugs it off and resumes kissing her.

"Yoo-hoo, Drake!"

He pulls away from Mindy, groaning, because despite her being _Mindy effing Crenshaw_ and Josh's ex—Josh, his best friend and brother, with whom his loyalties should lie—she's still a girl and she looks really nice tonight _and_ _she_ _jumped_ _him_. Plus, Josh is totally over her. He thinks. Why on earth would he turn down a no strings attached make-out session, even if it is with Mindy?

However, his adoring fans, or, Helen at least, are demanding another performance. Besides, if he and Mindy stay attached at the mouth for much longer, someone's bound to see them and Josh will find out and completely lose it.

"We can continue this later."

She nods and he approaches the crowd gathering by the makeshift stage. He performs three songs and after he's done, he discovers that she's fled from the celebration. It takes him twenty minutes to find her; when he does, she's sitting on the hood of his car.

"I thought you'd left; did a kiss and run."

She's playing with the hem of her dress. "I thought about it." She looks up at him. "Josh asked me to dance while you were singing and there was this moment where it almost seemed like he wanted to get back together then the song ended and I started wondering what the hell was I doing. So I had to get away from there."

"This doesn't have to be some big thing. Nobody even has to know; we can just pretend that it never happened."

Mindy slides off the hood and straightens her dress. "You're not such a bad guy, Drake."

"Yeah, well." He tosses his hair back and shoves his hands into his pockets. "It was fun."

She arches an eyebrow. "I didn't think that we were done but if you—"

Drake's lips are over hers and his hands are out of his pockets and around her with remarkable speed. She giggles against his lips, pulling him closer and she finds herself on the hood of his car again, and she ends up reclining so that she's laying on her back, and he's kind of on top of her but not really.

She insists to herself that she's only making out with him out of spite and because she's feeling sassy and saucy. Drake doesn't seem particularly concerned as to her motives and that is fine by her.

They both jump when his cell phone starts vibrating in his pocket against her thigh and his hip, sending an unexpected shock of sensations through both of them. Drake rolls off of her and sits up, cursing under his breath, digging into his pocket for his phone; seriously, he cannot catch a break tonight. Mindy's torn between amusement and disappointment; she ignores the voice in her head saying that perhaps it's God or the universe's way of giving her an out, showing her the path leading away from the temptation that is Drake Parker. There's another voice that asserts that _she's_ the temptation being presented to _him_; she likes this voice better.

It's a text from Josh; everyone's wondering where Drake has gotten off to. He makes a face and sighs. "I should get back."

She shakes her head, her lips tingling. "No, it's okay. I should be getting home soon. Curfew."

Drake hops down and holds his hand out to Mindy. She takes his hand lets him help her down, not that she needs any assistance. He clears his throat. "So…if you wanted to do this again sometime, I'd be okay with that."

There's a lustful, playful spark in her eyes, her smile, and her voice. "Would you, now?"

"Yeah," he says with a grin.

"Goodnight, Drake." Her tone and the sway of her hips as she walks away, glancing over her shoulder at him, a slight blush, tucking her hair behind her ear; she's not even pretending to fool either of them. This, whatever it is, regardless of her lingering—and as it turns out, easily ignored and forgotten—feelings for Josh, is far from over.

_*** Finis ***_


	13. Restless, Maybe Reckless

**Restless, Maybe Reckless**

((Post-series fic - romance - Rating: T; Words: 732))

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><p>It's cliché but Mindy likes the feel of the silk sheets sliding against her skin. She loves lazy mornings, just laying in bed, one of Drake's arms draped over her. He composes songs, tracing the lyrics with his fingers on her stomach, her arms, and her back. Her voice, the way she laughs, is always soft, ethereal, when his fingertips dance over her skin.<p>

The weekend retreats in Coronado are her favorites. The sounds of the beach, lounging in the hammock, cuddling, and watching the sunset. She loves it, being so close to home and yet feeling so far away.

There are fireworks on the Fourth of July, lighting the night sky above San Diego, as they lie on a blanket in a secluded area of the park doing things that they could be arrested for if they were caught.

It's supposed to be a summer fling before her senior year of college, the first summer he hasn't been touring since high school ended. They both like to pretend that Josh hasn't picked up on the fact that they mysteriously disappear at the same time for hours or days at a time; he doesn't say anything to either of them but they know that he knows.

They watch artsy foreign films because Mindy likes them; Drake would like the movies better if he didn't have to spend two hours reading subtitles. Halfway through every film he lies down on the sofa, his head resting on her lap, and she combs her fingers through his hair. He dozes off before the credits roll.

Starry nights and moonlit walks, him convincing her to go skinny dipping _one time_ because they're the only ones out right then as he starts tugging on the lower strings of her bikini top. When they're in the water and his hands start roaming, his kisses become more insistent, Mindy wraps her legs around his waist and informs him that this skinny dipping excursion will not lead to sex on the beach; he nibbles at her earlobe and asks about sex in the ocean. It's a no to that too as she untangles herself from him and swims to the shore. It's not a no but a yes in the shower when she's trying to rinse the sand and salt out of her hair and off her body; Drake could point out that due to the acoustics in the bathroom, it was a resounding yes.

She lounges in an oversized Belleview High t-shirt that falls to the top of her thighs and a pair of boy-short panties and socks. Watching her stand in the kitchen preparing dinner or a late night snack, Drake sometimes wishes that could draw better or that he was into photography because he wants to capture Mindy in these moments, when she is oblivious to how effortlessly beautiful she is. That in these moments she looks obtainable, not like she will one day soon slip between Drake's fingers. Instead of sketching her, he pulls out his guitar and starts plucking out random chords before eventually segueing into Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl."

Him playing that song for her is as cliché as her loving the feel of the silk sheets. It's cheesy and it's sweet and she doesn't ask because she doesn't want to know if he's sang this song to other girls. There's charm and sincerity and he only has eyes for her, she is the only girl in the world he wants when they're together. She holds on tightly to every fleeting moment because soon enough the last one will come and go, leaving her with bittersweet memories.

_Do you remember when, we used to sing…_

The end of the summer approaches quicker than either of them are ready for, than either of them want. Two in the morning, their fingers intertwined as they swing on the hammock, watching a meteor shower. Watching the meteors streak across the sky, falling from the heavens, Mindy is the first to admit, quietly, "I don't want this to end."

His arms tighten around her and he presses a kiss to the back of her neck. "Neither do I."

They don't discuss how their relationship should proceed, deciding instead to play it by ear (play it by heart). It's enough for them to just be, to dance in the candlelight, and to slowly but surely fall in love.

_*** Finis ***_


	14. Imperfect Reflections

******A/N: **_I've been taking a bit of a breather from everything that I've been working on because I was starting to get a little run down and my muse desperately needs a break. Managed to eek this out. Hopefully I'll be back on an upswing in a couple weeks. Reviews are love!_

**Imperfect Reflections**

((angst - Rating: K; Words: 270))

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><p>When all is said and done and they go their separate ways, it's easy for Drake and Mindy to forget.<p>

She forgets that when she insults him now that the barbs are meant to burn and sting.

He forgets that he's no longer supposed to be looking at her but every other girl in the room.

She forgets that she should be happy with anyone other than him.

He forgets that he should want anyone other than her.

She forgets that she shouldn't rely on him to distract and entertain her when she needs a study break.

He forgets that he shouldn't expect her to be supportive and to show up at his band's rehearsals or gigs.

She forgets that her lips aren't supposed to pucker when he leans close to her.

He forgets that his fingers aren't supposed to lace through hers.

She forgets that she doesn't want to miss him.

He forgets the he doesn't want her back.

She forgets that sticks and stones may break her bones but that it was Drake's words hurt her and broke her heart.

He forgets that she's spiteful and that she hooked up with Josh because she knew that it would cut him to the bone.

She remembers playful whispers, innuendos, kisses that lingered, giving in and over to passion in the heat of arguments.

He remembers laughter, come-hither looks, teasing touches that scalded, the combination of intense desire and emotion.

It was so easy for them to forget why they were together in the first place. Now, they'd give anything to not remember that they were perfect for each other.

_*** Finis ***_


	15. Destined to Repeat

_**A/N:**_I_ would have updated yesterday if not for the log-in issues. Still not entirely sure where this came from; the idea came to me at work one night several weeks ago._

**Destined to Repeat**

((AU Fantasy crossover w/ Arthurian legend - Josh/Mindy, pre-Drake/Mindy - Rating: K; Words: 687)

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><p>Mindy tugs at her bracelet, unaware of how worn thin it has become. The strand binding the bracelet breaks under the tension and the freshwater pearls spill onto the floor, rolling around, spreading to surround her in a radial pattern. It's a metaphor, an allegory, there's so much symbolism, it's the current state of their lives and the future that lies ahead no matter what choices they make.<p>

It has barely begun but she knows that this has all happened before. The three of them have danced this dizzy tango, spinning her around, from one to the other, back and forth.

She doesn't believe in reincarnation. Yet…

_Once upon a time…_

There are memories and dreams that cannot be her own, that cannot be real.

Whenever she wakes to the sound of the rain, she remembers that once upon a time she lived in Camelot and that she was called by the name of Guinevere. She was the king's consort and as much as she loved and treasured her king, she betrayed him with his most favored and trusted knight. She remembers that history is destined to repeat itself.

They will fall and so will go Camelot.

Then she realizes that she must have still been dreaming because she lives in San Diego, California and she's in high school and she loves Josh, and she and Drake hate each other (except when no one's looking, it's not hatred burning in their eyes). Josh is not a king and Drake is certainly no knight, if he were, his armor would be dull and full of dings and dents. Drake does not possess the loyalty of Lancelot nor any wisdom that Josh would ever need. Josh lacks the bravery of Arthur and the ability to wield any power. Her heart cannot be torn.

Where are the Lady of the Lake, Sir Gawain, Morgana, and all the others? They are nowhere because they do not exist and they never did. There is no sword in a stone, no kingdom in need of a ruler, no queen in need of a lover, no knight in need of a sire, no witchcraft or wizardry, no sworn vengeance. There is only here and now and the reality of their lives.

She looks at the pearls, now still, on the floor and she resolves that she will never be the Guinevere to Josh's Arthur and Drake's Lancelot. She will never betray Josh and she will never love Drake. She has decided. The queen has made up her mind. She is not a queen; she never was and she never will be because her father calling her "Princess" is nothing more than a pet name, a term of endearment.

She doesn't know that she has it right and all wrong at the same time. She can't see past what they mean to her now and what she means to them; how could she possibly know?

But she should have because this happened before. In another place, in another time. It happens over and over and when she realizes her mistake, every time, she thinks that she should have known better. That perhaps this was her chance to put an end to the vicious cycle of love, lust, and betrayal.

Maybe in the next life, she will have learned, she will remember. Except she doesn't believe in more than one life. She doesn't know that the pattern has already been broken.

Years from now, Mindy will finally know and it won't make any sense because this time around, it is happening out of order.

She will always be Guinevere, just as Josh has always been Lancelot and Drake will always become their Arthur.

They all kneel and begin to gather the fallen pearls. Her fingers brush Drake's as they reach for the same smooth crystalline ball of calcium carbonate and she pulls her hand back, her fingers curling her hand into a loose fist. She stands, opening her hand for Josh and he places several pearls in her palm. Drake drops the last pearl into her hand and their eyes meet.

_The once and future king…._

_*** Finis ***_


	16. Variables, Real & Imaginary

**Variables, Real & Imaginary**

((post-_Mindy Loves Josh_, mostly canon compliant up to but not including _The Really Big Shrimp _- Drake/Mindy non-penetrative sexy times (b/c "frottage" just sounds crude) - Rating: M; Words: 809))

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><p>Drake is never sure how it happens, not really. Every time it starts with him and Mindy volleying insults back and forth. She smirks, her voice biting, mocking, and a triumphant sparkle is in her eyes. Then there's the slightest touch, barely any pressure exuded from her smooth delicate fingertips brushing over his skin.<p>

There's something about her, she's bewitching or some bullshit like that. Or maybe it's the taboo, the fact that he should steer clear of her because she and Josh dated—even though Josh has never out right said or implied that Mindy is off limits—that entices him.

Drake blames her whenever they end up reclining on a sofa or her bed and he finds himself situated on top of her, between her legs, grinding hard against her. The friction feels so good and it could be just enough for him but it's never quite enough for her. But Drake has to respect that boundary, that invisible line that he knows Josh will have in his head, and he can't cross it. Even when he can hear the change in her breathing, a soft low moan followed a few minutes later by a whimper because _she's so close_ and she just wants him to lose all semblance of control, she tells him that he can keep going but he never does.

(It starts the same but this time it will end differently.)

His eyes are closed, he squeezes his eyelids tightly, and he slowly stops moving, lifting his hips because he can't stay pressed against her. He gets his breathing under control and he thinks about Mrs. Hayfer; that normally works. _Normally_, Mindy's hands don't grasp his hips and pull him back down to her, angling her hips upwards, hooking one of her legs around him. She's not supposed to do that; that's not how this goes. This is when they're supposed to control themselves. She's not supposed to make this harder for him. He doesn't move, he tries to ignore the sensation of her moving beneath him. He hates math so he can think about that, he can focus on algebra.

Drake mutters under his breath, "_x_ is equal to negative_ b_ plus or minus the square root of _b_ squared minus 4 times _a_ times _c_ divided by 2 times _a_." He doesn't understand it and he doesn't know why he remembers it; it confuses and frustrates the hell out of him, kind of like Mindy so maybe that's why he's trying to concentrate on numbers and symbols as her hips continue undulating, urging him on.

After another minute, his resistance fades away and he gives in to her pull because she is like gravity and he can't resist her, so he shifts so that she can feel him better and he resumes rocking against her in earnest, kissing her, his lips burning a trail down her neck. She bites her bottom lip to stifle a moan.

"Say it again."

Drake lifts his head from the crook of her neck and looks at her; he's careful not to break the rhythm they've got going. "Huh?"

Mindy opens her eyes. Her breathing is starting to hitch. "The quadratic formula; say it again."

The what? Is she talking about that gibberish he was saying a few minutes ago? It's the only thing he's said so that must be it.

He begins to recite the equation again and she interrupts him, panting for him to grind harder and he happily obliges. He can't just pick up where he left off in his recitation so he starts from the beginning, "_x_ is equal to negative_ b_ plus or minus the square root of _b_ squared minus 4 times _a_ times _c_ divided by 2 times _a_."

Drake grinds against her, harder and faster, and he's _almost there_ when Mindy gasps, tenses then sort of whimpers and her body starts to shudder, her hips bucking as she clings to him. It's more than enough to finish pushing Drake over the edge and his own hips jerk against hers, and he stills, pressing his body tightly into hers as pleasure flows over and through both of them.

(_a_ times_ x_ squared plus_ b_ times_ x_ plus_ c_ equals 0)

Mindy sighs and every muscle in her body relaxes; she lays still under him, a content smile playing on her lips. Drake's still catching his breath as he lowers his head and kisses her before he rolls onto his back. He glances over at her, a flush still evident on her skin. He knits his brow as he replays what just happened between them. How did he manage to turn her on even more while he was trying to turn himself off? Oh. He said something nerdy. Of course that _would_ do it for Mindy.

"The quadratic formula?"

"Shut up."

_*** Finis ***_


	17. Differences

**Differences**

((post-_Mindy Loves Josh_ - Rating: K; Words: 438))

* * *

><p>"I don't feel right doing this anymore, Drake," Mindy says, picking at the grass at the edge of the blanket.<p>

"Doing what?"

"This," she says, gesturing at the blanket and picnic spread. "I didn't like it when Josh wouldn't tell you that he and I were dating and I don't like it now that you won't tell him that you and I are dating."

Drake lies down on his back, an arm under his head. "It's only been a month."

"Oh, yes, it's only been a month of sneaking around and keeping secrets, of me having to watch you flirt with other girls because you're too afraid that Josh will find out about us and react poorly, which he will because he's Josh. And isn't a month a long-term relationship for you?"

"It is, but… Josh is my best friend and he's my brother and you guys dated for months. He's not just going to be okay with us going out."

"I am well aware of that, Drake, but he's going to be even less okay with it if we continue keeping it from him."

Drake shrugs, "I don't see why it matters; it's not like we're going to stay together much longer."

Mindy's head whips to the side and she just stares at him, looking ever so wounded. "Is that how you really feel?"

"It's not you; you know I don't do long-term. Besides, you and Josh had stuff in common, you and I—"

"We don't like Mrs. Hayfer," she offers softly.

"Yeah, there's that." He turns and props himself up on his elbow. "We don't like to admit that we like each other."

"We're both friends with Josh and we like hanging out at The Premiere."

"We like making out with each other."

She gives him a slight smile, humored. "You just like making out."

"That's true," Drake admits with a seductive grin. He sits up and scoots closer to her then leans over to kiss her.

Mindy places her palms on Drake's chest, not letting his lips touch hers. "Drake, this is important."

"So is kissing. And it's more fun." He pouts. "Why do we have to make a big deal about this?"

"I'm not asking for a 'big deal,' I just want us to be open and honest with Josh about us if we are going to remain an 'us.' If we're not, like you implied, then I guess there's no need to tell h—" she's cut off by Drake pulling her to him and kissing her.

He falls onto his back, pulling her down with him. "I'll tell him. I promise."

_*** Finis ***_


	18. Untitled

**Untitled**

((Post-series future fic - humor, fluff - Rating: K+; Words: 925))

* * *

><p>"Do you hunt, Drake?"<p>

"No, sir."

"Do you know how to fire a gun?"Manage Stories

"No, sir."

"Have you ever even held a gun?"

"No, sir."

Mindy's father clicks his tongue. "You're not one of those bleeding heart liberals who would encumber my Second Amendment Right to bear arms, are you?"

"No, sir?"

"You don't sound too sure there, Drake. Either you are or you aren't. If you're not sure how you feel about guns, the NRA, and silly laws about gun control, how can you possibly be sure that you want to marry my daughter?"

Drake swallows nervously. "Uh, you have every right to defend your home and your family and to shoot animals in the woods."

"Hmm." Mr. Crenshaw taps the side of his glass. "You're sure you wouldn't like something other than water to drink? You seem rather uncomfortable."

"I'm a little frightened."

"As you should be, Drake. You come into my home, you claim that you love my daughter and then you ask me for her hand in marriage. Any father such as myself prays that their little girl never falls for a boy like you. Lord knows that her mother and I have never approved of her relationship with you but she is a grown woman. Tell me, Drake, if I refuse to give you my blessing, do you still intend to propose to Mindy?"

"I—" Drake starts to sputter then stops, frowning. He can't be serious, can he? Of course he is. Mindy's parents don't joke. "Sir, Mr. Crenshaw, I don't know."

"You are full of so many uncertainties, Drake. Again, how can you be certain that you truly love my daughter and that you are ready for marriage?"

"I do love her and she makes me happy. I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Mr. Crenshaw narrows his eyes at the young man trying to take his daughter from him. "Tell me, how many other women have made you happy?" Drake pales. "Yes, I know all about your reputation. Mindy claims that you have changed, that you've put your vices behind you and that you are leading a more virtuous life. How do I know that one day you're not going to find yourself going back to your old womanizing ways and break my little girl's heart? She deserves better than that."

Drake hears what he means: She deserves better than Drake.

"I would never hurt her on purpose."

"No, not on purpose but accidents happen all the time. Can you assure me that you will never hurt her?"

"I can assure you that I will do everything I can to try not to hurt her."

"But you cannot promise me that you won't."

"No, sir."

Mr. Crenshaw sighs. "How would you like to go hunting, Drake?"

"I—" His eyes widen. "Are you going to kill me?"

"If I ever planned to kill you I surely would not tell you beforehand. You say that you want my blessing. You're going to have to work for it and earn some of my respect. I don't like you and I doubt that I ever will but for reasons unknown to her mother and I, you seem to make Mindy happy as well and she is in love with you. Once I am sure that you honestly do love my daughter and want the best for her, I will give you my blessing and allow you to have her hand."

"So, if I go hunting with you, you'll let me marry Mindy?"

The boy is exasperating. "To put it simply, yes."

"Okay."

"Right. Next weekend." Drake doesn't move. "That'll be all. You can leave now."

Drake nods and rises quickly. "Yes, sir. Thank you. Goodnight."

He's still jittery when he arrives at Mindy's apartment twenty minutes later. She's flipping through case studies, highlighting bits, jotting down notes and questions in a notebook.

He relaxes and smiles when she looks up at him and grins.

"You look like you could use a break."

"You have no idea." She marks the pages that she's on and starts closing the binders and folders.

Drake pours them both a glass of wine. "I'm going hunting with your dad next weekend."

"Oh, Drake, I don't think that's a good idea. As much as my father dislikes you, for your own safety, you should stay far away from him when he's wielding a gun."

"Yeah, I kind of have to go."

She accepts the glass from him. "No, Drake, you don't."

Drake takes a deep breath. "Yeah, I do."

"Why?"

"Because if I don't, he's not going to let us get married."

"He doesn't have to 'let' us do any..." she trails off, looking a little confused. "Married? Why would my father think that we're planning to get married?"

"Because I asked him for your hand in marriage."

"What?"

"Your parents are old-fashioned and I know that they kind of hate me so I thought maybe I could try to maybe win them over by asking for their permission to ask you to marry me. Your dad said that if I go hunting with him, he'll be okay with it."

Mindy blinks. "You want to marry me?"

"Yeah," he says with a small shrug. "I love you."

"I love you too but...you _want_ to get married?"

"Yes." Drake fidgets. "Do you want to get married?"

"Yes, and I want to marry you, I just never thought that you would ever want to get married."

"I didn't but then I fell for you."

_*** Finis ***_


	19. Reading Between the Lines

**Reading Between the Lines**

((Alternate History in which partners are assigned in _Mindy's Back_ - Drake/Mindy UST - Rating: K+; Words: 1000))

_**A/N:** Been holding onto this one for a while because it's not as smooth and cohesive as I'd like it to be but I've wanted to post it so here it is. Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated! :-)_

* * *

><p>After school, Mindy finds Drake at his locker. She clears her throat and waits for him to turn around. He glances over his shoulder at her, not bothering to turn. She takes a deep breath and precedes thusly, "I know you don't care about your grades and I don't expect you to do much work but I do expect you to at least pretend to be making an effort on this project. I hate the idea of us working together as much as you do but there's nothing we can do about it. I'd like for us to get a head start and brainstorm on ideas and draft a work schedule this evening at the library, say, 6 o'clock?"<p>

Drake finally turns around as he slams his locker closed. His face is screwed up in consternation. "The library?"

"Yes, you know that big building full of books and knowledge‚ much unlike your brain."

"I know what a library is." After a beat, "I'm just not sure where it's it."

She rolls her eyes. "Of course you don't know where it is, you can't pick up girls there."

"Oh, I can pick up girls anywhere." He sounds proud and confident.

"Probably not all you're picking up," Mindy mutters under her breath. "Just remember that we'll be there to do research and work on our project, not for you to find your next play date."

There's a cocky grin on his face. "I can't promise you that. All work and no play makes—"

"Makes you immature and unmotivated, or in your case, _you_."

"Or it makes you a crazy bitch, or in your case, you," he sneers.

She presses her lips into a thin line and slings her bag over her shoulder. She huffs, "Josh can give you directions. Don't be late."

Mindy waits in the vestibule of the library, tapping her foot impatiently. It's 6:07 and she hasn't seen Drake nor heard from him since she arrived at 5:45. She waits until 6:10 then she stalks out of the library, fishing her phone out of her pocket. She stops on the concrete steps. Drake's leaning against a tree, chatting with some girl who's batting her eyelashes and falling hook, line, and sinker for every line he throws.

Mindy narrows her eyes, frustrated that he can't put his libido to rest for one evening. The hardness in her eyes fades as her body relaxes. She punches a text message into her phone and sends it to Drake. She watches as he tosses his hair, sliding his hand into his pocket to retrieve his phone. He reads the message, grimacing as he looks over his shoulder and sees her. She gives him an annoyed look before stomping back inside the library.

It becomes their routine for the following three weeks except for the evenings when Drake sends her text blowing her off at the last minute, informing her that he has a date. On those nights, she just rolls her eyes, and deletes the message with a huff before walking out of the library and riding her bike home.

When he deigns to grace her with his presence, he spends most of his time texting or doodling. She lets out a frustrated sigh and slides a note card over to him. "The least you could do is make yourself useful and get these books. We still need a couple more primary sources."

Drake stares at the writing, trying to decipher the combinations of numbers and letters. "I don't know what this means."

"They're the call numbers for the books."

He continues giving her an uncomprehending stare.

She drums her fingers on the tabletop for a moment, taking a few calming breaths before pushing her chair away from the table. "Come along, slacker. The least you can do is learn a little something."

He trails behind her through the stacks as she tries to briefly explain the Dewey Decimal System as well as the Library of Congress' system.

She spots one of the books that they need on the top shelf and uses the stepstool since Drake doesn't seem to be absorbing anything she's said. She jerks, looking down at him in surprise when she feels his hands on her hips, keeping her steady.

When she hops down off the stool, Drake's hands are in his pockets and he's glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes.

There's clearly something on his mind and she knows better than to ask but she does anyway. "What?"

He shrugs. "I was just thinking—"

"Shocker."

Taking a step towards her, he continues, "—that I've never spent this much time with a girl without kissing her."

Mindy shirks away, her back hitting the wall. "What are you doing?"

"Just stand still and calm down. I have a reputation to maintain."

There's an acute awareness of her heart pounding in her chest as she watches him move closer, closing what little distance remains between them. In spite of herself, she's leaning forward, rising on her tiptoes and responding eagerly to his kiss. There's a whispering in her head, reminding her that she has a crush on Josh, that he's the one she wants. Drake, for all his other faults, is what she imagines a good kisser is and there's that old song her parents listen to about loving the one you're with and Josh is nowhere around.

Mindy stands silent, eyes wide, in a shocked daze when Drake pulls back.

"So, where's this other book?" he asks, indifferent, like he didn't just kiss her.

"But you just—"

"It didn't mean a thing," he says coolly, eying a girl standing at the end of the aisle across from them.

Mindy frowns. He's right, it didn't. She had always hoped that her first kiss be a meaningful one, special, not stolen by the school dunce and Casanova in the library stacks.

She sighs and leads him in the direction of the other book they need.

_*** Finis ***_


	20. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

**Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind**

((Post-series fic AU; angst - Drake/Mindy, Drake/OFC - Rating: T; Words: 998))

_Inspiration drawn from the movie of the same title._

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

Mindy saw it coming from a mile away and still she let Drake break her heart. Everything had been going so well. They had been so happy. They had been in love.

She had _thought_ that he loved her, but, if he did, wouldn't he have kept every other woman at an arm's length? He would have pushed them all away. He wouldn't have let even the one get close enough to wrap herself around him, in public, surrounded by flashing lights, the compromising position caught on film. It doesn't matter that he didn't sleep with her (or any of the others).

"Just a little harmless drunken making out," he'd claimed. "It didn't mean anything."

"Except it means that I don't mean enough," she'd said sadly, slowly twisting the diamond solitaire from her left ring finger then setting it down on the counter and sliding it towards him.

He had stared at the ring as the realization that he'd genuinely messed up hit him and that Mindy wasn't just going to get over it. He had followed her to the door. He could fix this. "That's not true."

She had walked out the door, blocking out the sounds of his protests, his declarations of love—_lies._

It seemed the best option at the time, having every single memory she shared with Drake Parker erased from her mind. She can't feel the heartache if she doesn't remember it, right?

She told her family and friends. She asked Josh to pass the message along to Drake.

"She can't do that. She can't just forget. That's not…how it that possible?"

Josh shrugged. "I don't know but there's these experimental satellite clinics. It's a non-invasive procedure—"

"A non-in-what?"

"It means they don't actually do surgery."

"Oh." Drake sat down, the full gravity of the situation washing over him. "She really wants to forget me and everything we had? I mean, not just me screwing up?"

Josh looked down. "She doesn't even want to remember that you exist."

"But that's not how it works, though, right? I mean, she can't forget _all_ about me. She has to remember me. She'll still know me and who I am, right?"

"I don't really know how it works, Drake, but I guess she'll still have her memories of you that have nothing to do with your relationship."

Drake swallowed. "When is she doing it?"

Josh looked up at him, conflicted. "I can't tell you that."

"Come on, Josh. If she forgets, she won't remember and then I can't ever make this right!"

"She doesn't want you to make it right. She wants for nothing to have been wrong in the first place."

Drake deflated, his eyes filled with pain and regret. "Josh…"

Josh shook his head. "She's probably on her way to the clinic now."

Drake's eyes widened and he rose, grabbing his keys. "I have to stop her from doing this. Where—"

Reluctantly, Josh gave him the directions and tried to stall him as much as possible. He felt bad for Drake but Mindy had made up her mind; it's what she wanted.

"Goddammit." He gets caught in traffic. Of course, he gets caught in traffic. "Dammit!"

He hopes and prays that he's not too late. "Please, please, let me get there in time."

Drake pulls into the parking lot and scrambles out of his car. He spots Mindy standing at her own car. He lets out a sigh of relief as he dashes over to her. "Mindy!"

She looks up, turning as sees Drake approaching her. She raises both of her eyebrows and cocks her head to the side for a moment. "Drake?"

He exhales as he stops in front of her, grinning.

"Wow. I haven't seen you since high school."

His heart drops and the smile falls from his face. "What?" He's too late. "No."

"Yes," she nods her head slowly, giving him a concerned look. "Well, I mean, I think we ran into each other briefly a few times during some of my college breaks. Are you okay? You look like a kicked puppy."

"I—" he starts. He might cry. He might really cry. It was just some small stupid thing and he hadn't… And now she's gone and gotten rid of every memory they made together. It's really over. As far as she knows, they never happened. They never had anything. They never were anything. They…

"Drake?"

He looks at her, with a renewed sense of hope, a bold idea in his head. A light enters his eyes and a small smile forms on his lips.

The words come out in a rush. "I do stupid shit sometimes, like hanging out with groupies and fans and random woman who don't care that I'm a musician and want to hook-up with me. Sometimes I drink too much. Actually, I do that a lot, but I'm working on drinking less and in moderation. Occasionally I used to take pills but I don't do that anymore. I'm sorry for every mean and or hurtful thing that I ever said or done to you, whether it was on purpose or not."

Mindy looks completely baffled and a bit overwhelmed. "Oh my God. Are you dying? Or in an addicts program?"

Drake snorts. "No, to both."

"Then why are you baring you soul to me in the middle of a parking lot when we haven't seen or spoken to each other in years? Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't appreciate the apology, but the rest—"

He cuts her off by pressing his lips to hers. She doesn't move, her eyes remain open, and then she starts to flail her arms a little. His kiss is insistent and she can't remember ever having felt a kiss so right, like there are fireworks, and she melts into it.

After a minute, he pulls back. "Would you like to go to dinner?"

She gawks at him, shocked and incredibly confused. "I… Okay."


	21. Save the Last Dance

**A/N:**_ Once Bitten universe fics can now be found as their own separate story with all future updates in the OB-verse being added there. Previous parts have been removed from this random series. FYI: Once Bitten has been updated._

.

**Save the Last Dance**

((AU - pre-relationship Drake/Mindy, Josh/Mindy, Drake/OFC - Rating: T; Words: 1000))

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh I know that the music's fine<em>

_like sparkling wine, go and have your fun_

_Laugh and sing, but while we're apart_

_Don't give your heart to anyone_

'_Cause don't forget who's taking you home_

_And in whose arms you're gonna be_

_So, darling, save the last dance for me"_

- "Save the Last Dance For Me" by The Drifters

.

The day of the senior prom arrives and Josh wakes with a fever, a sore throat, and sick to his stomach. He can hear the disappointment in Mindy's voice over the phone but he promises that he's going to find a way to make tonight special for her. His solution is to beg Drake to take Mindy to the prom for him.

"I already have a date."

"What's her name?"

It takes Drake several seconds to remember his date's name, some girl he asked earlier in the week because he really doesn't care but it's _senior_ _prom_. Whatever.

Josh knows that he should feel bad for Drake's date but it's not like Drake actually gives a damn about the poor girl in the first place; Josh really cares for Mindy and that's all he needs to justify his argument.

"Come on, Drake! I've already paid for the limo, I picked up Mindy's corsage last night — it's in the fridge — she had her shoes and purse dyed to match her dress. We have dinner reservations—_I'll still pay!_ Please, I am begging you!"

"Fine, Josh, I'll take your girlfriend to the prom," Drake huffs.

Drake's date—_former_ date—takes him breaking their date better than he expected once he explains why. It's really sweet of him to do such a huge favor for his brother; she even suggests that they get together next weekend so that she can find out just how sweet he is for herself. Score!

He promises Josh that he'll be nice to Mindy and to dance with her at least once; to pull the chair out for her at the restaurant and to offer her his jacket if she gets chilly.

Drake does not pin the corsage on Mindy's dress and she can barely force herself to smile for any pictures. He can't tell who looks more upset that he's escorting her to the prom, Mindy or her parents. Her father reminds her that her curfew has changed from two to midnight as he eyes the hunting rifle above the fireplace. Drake does hold open the limo door for her. The entire ride she looks like she would rather have spent the night crying in her room. At the restaurant, she orders a salad and water; she barely eats. When she spends ten minutes in the bathroom, he's pretty sure that she's in there crying.

"It's not the night that I had planned either," Drake says bitterly as they're getting back in the limo. If she's going to act so miserable, she should've just told Josh thanks but no thanks and stayed home. At least his night could have been salvaged.

Mindy starts to tear up again. "You're not exactly hiding the fact that you'd rather be taking anyone but me to the prom, Drake, so you'll have to excuse me if I'm finding it difficult to pretend that this is the best night of my life."

When they arrive at the hotel ballroom, they go their separate ways. Girls, including his former date, surround Drake and he dances with many of them. Mindy tries to make the best of things by dancing with friends; Eric steps on her toes and Craig has no idea where to put his hands, if anywhere.

Drake's intended date whispers in his ear some of the things they can do on their make-up date and he's considering sneaking away so that he can get a preview of what exactly she has in mind when he sees Mindy seated at a table by herself, staring at the cup of punch in her hands. _Dammit_. Damn his promises to Josh and damn Mindy for looking so wretched. Drake reluctantly tears himself away and heads over to where Mindy's sitting. He sucks in a deep breath and finally asks her to dance because that's what you're supposed to do at the prom, with your pseudo-date. It's the happiest look she's ever given him, the first time she's smiled all evening, when he offers her his hand. She really is a girl.

There's an awkward hesitation when the music segues into a song with a much slower pace. They watch couples around them move closer to one another, bodies swaying to the music. Mindy shuffles a little.

"If we've survived tonight so far, one slow dance won't kill us, will it?"

She looks at him, slightly surprised. "No, I suppose it won't."

It's the most physical contact they've ever had with one another, his hands on her waist, her hands on his shoulders. Their centers of gravity pull them closer together. They can't look at each other but they also can't _not_ look at each other. Mindy settles for staring at the boutonniere on Drake's lapel and he alternates between looking at tendrils of her loosely curled hair and the other dancing couples.

They dance to a few more songs, with groups and together. The night is not a total bust since Mindy is no longer determined that this is the worst night of her life.

At the end of the night, he walks her to her door. "I just wanted to say that you actually look really pretty tonight. I probably should have told you that earlier."

Mindy looks like she's expecting to be Punk'd any minute before she realizes Drake is possibly being sincere. She clears her throat, trying not to blush. "No, you shouldn't have. I know the only reason you did any of this was that Josh asked you to. But, thank you. I'm sorry I was such a bad date."

Drake shrugs it off. "I wasn't the best date either."

"No, but…" She swallows and forces the compliment out, "You look very handsome as well. Thank you. Again. Goodnight."

She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek, because these things are supposed to end with a kiss.

Josh smiles through his germs and misery when Drake returns home. "She said she had a good time."

"It wasn't so bad."

_*** Finis ***_


	22. Grey Sky Morning

**Grey Sky Morning**

((Post-series future fic; angst - Drake/Mindy, Mindy/OMC - Rating: T; Words: 448))

_title and lyrics from the Vertical Horizon song "Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)"_

* * *

><p>"<em>But it's not so bad<em>

_You're only the best I ever had_

_You don't need me back_

_You're just the best I ever had"_

.

"You look good."

"Thanks. So do you." Mindy looks down at her glass, trying desperately not to fidget; she doesn't want Drake or anyone else to know just how uncomfortable she is. "Are you still with Bridget?"

Drake snorts. "No, that was doomed from the start." He searches his memory for the name of the guy Josh said she was dating. "How are things with Ian?"

"Wonderful," she answers quickly

His smile falters for a split second. "So you're happy then?"

"I'm happier than I've been in a long time." Mindy's smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. She is happy (but she was happier with Drake).

He nods. "You should be happy. You should be with someone who makes you happy all the time. Someone who can put you first. I could never do that."

"You tried," Mindy offers.

"If I tried we wouldn't be here with other people," he states bluntly. He shrugs. "I fucked up, we've moved on."

Drake's moving on but he's not over her.

"Yeah."

The words 'I miss you' are right there on the tip of her tongue and he feels the apology forming in the back of his throat.

Mindy looks startled, almost as if she's guilty, for a split second when a blond-haired man sidles up next to her and slides his arm around her waist, and kisses her on the cheek. "Hey."

Drake feels his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach when Mindy focuses on the guy and familiar light shines in her eyes. The light fades when she looks back at Drake.

Mindy clears her throat. "Ian, this is Drake Parker. Drake, this is Ian Connelly."

Ian reaches out and shakes Drake's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Drake. I've heard a lot about you."

Drake forces a chuckle. "Let me guess, most of it was probably bad but more than likely it was all true?"

Ian laughs. "Not at all. Mindy speaks very highly of you. Don't know why the two of you ended things and I can't imagine just letting her go but I'm glad you did." Ian squeezes Mindy closer and her eyes meet Drake's.

He almost thinks he sees regret and longing but then she's looking at Ian again.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Ian. Pleasure running into you, Mindy." Drake gives them a brief nod before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

With a heavy heart, she watches him walk away and out of her life.

"Mindy?"

She looks up at her boyfriend. "Yes, Ian?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

The words wouldn't feel so hollow to her if Mindy hadn't just realized that she's never stopped loving Drake.

.

_"So you sailed away_

_Into a grey sky morning_

_Now I'm here to stay_

_Love can be so boring_

_What was it you wanted_

_Could it be I'm haunted"_

_*** Finis ***_


	23. The Cold Light of Reason

**The Cold Light of Reason**

((Post-series future fic; some angst - Rating: T; Words: 1060))

**A/N:** _I'm not even sure how I wrote this fic; it makes sense to me and yet it doesn't. It's not my best but here it is. Reviews = love!_

* * *

><p><em>Every now and then, I hear the cold light of reason<em>

_Firing like guns from the east._

_But the end of the night, is it wrong or it's right?_

_Oh, we'll wait and we'll see_

_But I don't want to talk – so keep to yourself_

_No I don't want to talk – so keep to yourself_

- "Give It Time" by The Mynabirds

.

Mindy stretches as she watches the silhouetted figure move quietly around the room.

They keep doing this and it makes no sense, no matter how wrong and how right, how good, it always ends up feeling. But it's becoming tainted with all the things that they were never supposed to feel; that Mindy never wanted to feel for Drake.

It started with a random run-in outside of the club Drake had just performed at. She had been a little tipsy and he was still riding the rush from being on stage and the applause. Her shimmery gold skirt had sparkled under the streetlight and Drake was easily distracted by shiny objects; in the green room, he whispered in her ear that he had always liked "pretty _things_" as her fingertips had pressed into his shoulder blades.

It should have been only one-time and, for months, it was until Josh's engagement party. It had still nicked Mindy's heart to see her first love so giddily in love and with someone else, but she was truly happy for him.

Drake was there, flirting with all the bride-to-be's friends. Their eyes had met and she was hit with the memories of their encounter and she'd felt herself getting flushed, her mouth growing dry. He had flashed a devious grin at her as he continued charming the women surrounding him, moving his eyes from hers towards the ceiling before meeting hers again. Mindy had nodded her head ever so slightly. She could see the smugness in his eyes before he turned his attention back to the group in front of him for about another minute before he excused himself and headed towards the stairs.

Mindy had wrapped up her conversation with Craig and Eric, and she made her way up the stairs. Drake was leaning against the wall next to the bathroom and it was probably for the best that they didn't allow the dirty little secret that was blooming between them to sprout roots in the room he once shared with Josh. Mindy barely looked at him before continuing into the bathroom; he followed her in, closing and locking the door behind him.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Mindy protested lamely as she allowed Drake's lips to move along her jaw and down her neck as he backed back her against the counter.

He had stopped and frowned, his fingers toying with the hem of her skirt. "It's just sex."

She had opened her mouth and all she could do was take in air when she finally looked into his eyes again and saw nothing but pure lust as she felt his fingertips moving up her thighs as he slowly inched her skirt higher.

"Just sex?" She couldn't stand for it to be anything else. She couldn't handle it. Not with everything that laid between them.

"Just sex."

After that, it became a pattern. Every so often he'd text her asking if he could come over to her place. They would exchange a few words and then they would shed their clothes before landing on Mindy's bed. Their lips always managed to avoid landing on each other's despite touching nearly every other spot on each other's body.

It had been going on for over a year when during those first several minutes of basking in the afterglow, Drake still in the bed with her, not quite cuddling, that Mindy realized that she wanted more than what they were. She felt her heart aching as her eyelids grew heavy because she knew that Drake would be gone when she awoke. He always stayed just long enough for her to fall asleep before he'd slip away, disappearing until he found himself wanting her again.

He always waited for her to fall asleep so that they didn't have to talk. It's easier if they don't have to acknowledge what they've just done. To say goodbye or goodnight might attach strings or, even worse, chains of emotions and that would mean that they would have to address the unspoken feelings that should never exist between them.

Mindy hates that she wants nothing more than for him to crawl back into her and stay the night. She hates that he can tear himself away so easily. She knows that she should end things because she's starting to care for him and it was never supposed to be about that. But they don't talk and Drake feels so good and maybe she can try to pretend that this enough. So, she allows him to continue using her as she uses him less and less.

She props herself up on her elbow as Drake steps into his jeans and pulls them up. Hearing her stirring, Drake turns to look at her. When he sees that she's awake, he looks like a deer caught in the headlights for a couple of seconds. He's never been caught sneaking out before; he's too good at it.

Drake can't quite recall ever seeing Mindy look vulnerable but it's how she looks now, the light from the moon and stars casting a soft glow about the room. She also looks a little pissed. And, suddenly, Drake knows.

He sighs, shaking his head. Time to make a clean break. "It's just sex, Mindy. That's what you wanted. It's why this works."

"I know." She sits up, not meeting his eyes, tucking the sheet under her arms.

"It can't—_we_ can't be more than that."

"I know," she says firmly, looking at him.

He takes a deep breath. "So, I guess this is it then, huh?"

"That would probably be best."

Drake nods and drapes his shirt over his arm. He walks over to the bed and leans down, intending to give her a goodbye kiss. It starts soft and sweet unlike everything that they have never been with each other and Drake places a hand on the mattress as he presses his lips more forcefully against hers. He ends up back on the bed and Mindy's pushing his pants back down over his hips.

"One last time?"

"One last time."

A proper goodbye.

Drake wakes in Mindy's bed, alone, the sun shining. He's not so much disappointed that he's still in her bed as he is that she's not still in it with him.

Fuck.

This must be how she feels.

And now he's emotionally involved.

.

_*** Finis ***_


	24. Saints and Angels

**Saints and Angels**

((Post-series future fic - Rating: T; Words: 677))

_lyrics from the Simon and Garfunkel song "Cecilia"_

* * *

><p><em>Celia, you're breaking my heart<em>

_You're shaking my confidence daily_

_Oh, Cecilia, I'm down on my knees_

_I'm begging you please to come home_

_Come on home_

_._

The silence is un-fucking-bearable and Drake knows that that's exactly why Mindy has chosen to give him the silent treatment. He thrives on aural stimulation. He needs sound and she knows that. Just because she can get by with only the voices in her head…. It's an angry, spiteful thought from the teenage boy who's still inside of him despite the near decade he's spent trying to become a decent man.

It's been two days. _Two days_. And all she's said to him is "I love you." The first time after their disagreement (in which she called him a stubborn jackass who needed to learn how to listen), she had prefaced the "I love you" with a handwritten note informing him that she would hate for something to happen to one of them which would result in the other regretting that the last time they saw each other, they said nothing, so, until he apologized, she would still say those three words to him before bed and before one of them left the house.

Post-its, text messages, notepads.

He doesn't know how she does it.

He misses the sound of her voice. God, he can barely remember when he dreaded hearing her voice, when everything about her had grated on his nerves just as much as everything about him had grated on hers. But then through time and chance, fate and destiny, somehow there was love.

And now she's giving him the silent treatment. He'd rather that she yelled and screamed, slammed doors, dropped objects, but no. She's calm and arrogant, proud, because she is convinced that she is right and soon enough he's going to realize it and give in and admit that he was in the wrong.

Mindy's comparing paint swatches, because first she decided she hated mint and _now_ she hates buttercream for the nursery but she still wants a calm, soothing gender neutral color scheme, just in case the doctor's wrong.

Drake leans against the doorframe and grumbles, "Fine. You win. Sorry I wanted to have a say in our daughter's name. I guess I was wrong thinking that as the father that maybe my opinion would be taken into consideration. My mistake."

She gives him a cool look. "All I had said was that I had already picked out a middle name. I wasn't cutting you out of the naming process, Drake, I was just informing you of a decision that I am quite adamant about."

He wrinkles his nose. "What's so great about the name 'Cecilia' anyway?"

Mindy rubs her rounded belly, the tone of her voice and the look in her eyes clearly indicating that she's about to make him feel like a dumbass, something she's spent the past few years trying her best to avoid doing—except for when he's acting like an idiot or jackass. "She's the patron saint of music. I thought that you would appreciate the significance."

Oh. Well. He does feel like a dumbass.

"Sorry?"

"It's okay. I suppose it may have helped if I had mentioned that when I said I wanted to name her Cecilia."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure your exact words were: 'We are naming her Cecil—'"

"Not helping us make up."

"Right." Drake glances around the barely furnished nursery before his eyes settle on Mindy again, seated in the rocking chair. "Cecilia, huh?"

"Uh-huh. The ancient poets used to invoke the Muses, some musicians call upon Saint Cecilia to bless them with inspiration."

"Wait—is _that_ what that song is about and _not_ some chick who's sleeping with two different guys? Wow. It totally makes sense now," he says, walking further into the room.

"Congratulations on your epiphany," she snorts.

Drake stands beside the rocking chair and squats down, placing a hand over one of Mindy's. "You know, it's not just the baby that inspires me. You inspire me too."

She smiles at him, letting the swatches rest on her lap, and leans over, giving him a kiss. "You're forgiven."

"So I can choose her first name?"

"Don't push it."

.

_Jubilation,_

_She loves me again,_

_I fall on the floor and I'm laughing_

_._

_*** Finis ***_


	25. Together We'll Fall Down

**Together We'll Fall Down**

((Post-series future fic; romance - Rating: T; Words: 818))

_can be read either as a stand-alone or as a follow-up to Grey Sky Morning, if you so choose_

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

When her father has a heart attack, Mindy drops everything to take the first flight she can back to San Diego. Drake's there. In town, that is. They haven't seen each other in over two years and they've barely spoken but he comes to the hospital to check on her and her family. He comes by every day until her father is released. She insists on taking Drake out to dinner as a thank you for being there for her when he didn't have to be.

"If you need me, I'll always be there for you. It doesn't matter if we're not together."

She still loves him and he still loves her and she can't remember why that wasn't enough at one point but now it is all that she needs.

"Can we go back to your place?" She doesn't have to explain and he doesn't ask; he's more than happy to take her home because there is no question in his mind that this night is going to end with her back in his arms (where she's supposed to be – the _only_ place she was ever supposed to be).

And just like that they begin again.

As Mindy awakens the next morning, she feels fingertips tracing over her back, lips against her shoulder and she smiles before she opens her eyes because it's almost as if the past four years didn't happen at all.

No mistakes, no arguments, no "this is goodbye, this is for the best," no trying to move on, no trying to move past each other. There were no others for either of them during this time they've spent apart. There was no time apart.

Their bodies still fit perfectly, and move perfectly, together.

"Good morning."

Mindy rolls onto her side. "Morning."

Between pressing a trail of kisses along her collarbone and up her neck, Drake asks, "When does your flight leave?"

"Not until this afternoon." She threads her fingers through his hair.

"So we have plenty of time," he mumbles, lying on his back and easing her on top of him.

It's like no time has passed. Nothing has changed. They're together, and they're meant to be and they've never let anything or anyone stand in the way of them. Nothing else has ever mattered. It's her and it's him; it's only them, just as it always should have been.

Drake's hands move from her hips up her back and he wraps his arms around her when Mindy rests her head on his chest.

After a few minutes of just lying there, basking in the afterglow, basking in the perfection of the two of them being together, shut away from everyone and everything, Mindy speaks. "So what do we do now?"

He nuzzles the top of her head. "I think that we should just stay here until you have to go to the airport."

Mindy picks her head up and rolls her eyes. "I know that. I meant, what do we do about us."

"Do you want to get back together?"

She looks down, biting her bottom lip. "I wouldn't mind if we reconciled."

"Isn't that what we were just doing?" His voice is smooth and low. Honey. Seduction.

She looks at him, just a hint of exasperation in her eyes. "Drake..."

"What? You know me, Mindy." And there's the break. Solemn. Honest.

"I do."

His voice is strained. It pains him to admit it but it hurts even worse to think that this moment might be a fluke. "I want us back."

Mindy glances down at her left hand, the noticeable tan lines around her ring finger. "My divorce will be finalized soon."

"Good." He moves his head forward as he tangles one of his hands in her hair and brings her lips to his. "We'll make it work this time."

"No promises this time, Drake. I don't want either of us trying to live up to unreasonable expectations. We both know what we're getting into this time around. No promises, no excuses."

"I promise," he says with a chuckle.

She lays her head back down on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "We'll make it this time," she insists softly. She needs it to.

He kisses her forehead and begins once again tracing a pattern on her back. He repeats the pattern of cursive letters over and over again. His smile grows a fraction with every short light giggle that occasionally comes from Mindy.

There's the familiarity of him writing the word 'love' on her skin with his finger. She has never forgotten that. She hasn't yet deciphered the other letters and words that he's added. She won't – not today, not before she has to leave. But she will, in several months after she's moved back across the country and they've christened every room of her apartment. As they're drifting off to sleep, he'll whisper in her ear:

_always my love_

_._

_Your words are inked on my skin_

_The marks of incredible love_

- "Incredible Love" by Ingrid Michaelson

.

_*** Finis ***_


	26. After the Start, Before We Begin

**After the Start, Before We Begin**

((Post-series, implied Drake/Mindy pre-relationship, past Josh/Mindy - Rating: K+; Words: 960))

_can be read as a follow-up to Halfway Across the Sky or as a stand-alone_

* * *

><p>.<p>

The sky is filled with clouds and Mindy is just waiting for the heavens to burst open. That they will seems inevitable, necessary.

Walter swears that the rain will hold, the chance of precipitation this even is only twenty percent and the increase to forty percent isn't for well after midnight.

"It's going to stay dry tonight," Walter insists with his misplaced optimism. "And if by chance it does not, we can easily move all of the festivities inside, huh?"

He smiles the same goofy grin that Josh smiles so often and suddenly Mindy can picture her ex-boyfriend in about twenty years or so, with the same timid mannerisms and well-meaning but blind optimism as his father.

Mindy looks up at the sky again. The air is thick with moisture and the dark clouds are heavy; it's going to pour.

Megan sidles up to her. "Hey. We've got a betting pool on when it'll start raining; you want in?"

Mindy raises an eyebrow. "I'm not putting any money in but I'd say that the first drops will fall in the next ten to fifteen minutes."

Megan scrolls through the app she's using to keep track on her phone. "Drake bet fifteen to twenty. Sure you don't want in?"

Mindy's eyes search the party-goers for a few seconds she finds Drake, leaning against a tree, drink in hand, chatting with a group of admiring young women. He starts to laugh and he looks up, his eyes meeting hers and he stops laughing, his eyes still twinkling, a smile on his lips. Mindy gives him a small smile from across the yard. She wasn't staring at him – not intentionally anyway. His grin broadens for just a second before he breaks eye contact with her, once again focusing on the females fawning all over him, but he keeps casually glancing in her direction.

Megan's eyes flit from Mindy to Drake and back and forth, her eyes narrowing as the wheels turn and pieces of a puzzle start taking shape and interlocking in her head. She gasps as her eyes widen and she gawks at Mindy. "Omigod! You and Drake!"

Mindy looks equal parts stunned and embarrassed for a split second before shaking it off and putting on her poker face. "Drake and I what?"

"Oh, don't make me say it, Mindy; you know what the two of you have done," Megan says, disgusted, making a face before shaking her head. "Seriously, I don't understand how so many girls have ever liked either of my brothers but somehow you've managed to fall for both of them. You hit your head at some point, didn't you?"

Mindy starts to open her mouth then closes it. She swallows then clears her throat. "Not that it's any of your business, Megan, despite the fact that we are talking about your family, while it is common knowledge that I cared deeply for Josh and that I still do, platonically, I can assure you that I have not 'fallen' for Drake."

"Really? 'Cause you just sort of zoned out when you were looking at him. I don't know if you were, like, swooning or thinking dirty disgusting thoughts about him but you totally went to another place where it was all about him."

"Megan—"

"Don't try to BS a bullshitter, Mindy; I've been at this longer than you have. Just admit that you're hot for Drake. They say that the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. Or, in this case, a sickness."

"I will do no such thing," she scoffs.

"Oh, Mindy, you are so much better than ending up being one of his…I don't even know how to phrase it without throwing up. I mean, I have a good enough idea of what he does with his dates, but ugh. Eww. Don't you have more respect for yourself than to lower your standards to the point of them bottoming out?"

Mindy stiffens then cocks her head to the side. "Excuse me? I have plenty of respect for myself. And despite all the faults that Drake may have, I am sure that he has a number of redemptive qualities as well. He and I are two completely different people with different strengths and weaknesses, different interests, dreams, and goals. I would by no means be lowering my standards with Drake. I would just be operating outside of the box, out of my comfort zone, and everyone's preconceived notions."

"Gross. You two totally did it." Megan sucks in a breath, a little excited about the potential meltdown and carnage. "Does Josh know?"

"Drake and I…Josh doesn't…what I mean is…" Mindy lets out a frustrated sigh. She closes her eyes and shakes her head as she admits quietly, "It was one time. Josh does not nor will he ever know."

Megan pouts. "What's the fun in him not knowing? I want to see his head explode."

"Megan!"

"What? You used to love torturing him too," the younger girl gripes. "And Drake. How do you go from that to shacking up with them? I don't get it."

"_You_ don't get it? _I_ don't get it. I mean, Josh and I made perfect sense. Drake and I—first, off, there is no 'Drake and I' so it doesn't matter."

Megan rolls her eyes. "Then why does he keep looking over here at you like he wants to jump your bones? Again. You keep getting this lost in a daze look when look at him." She shakes her head. "I used to admire you, Mindy. I still do but I am judging you. A lot."

"I—"

The sky opens up and a heavy rain begins to fall, bringing a halt to their conversation as everyone rushes inside.

.

_*** Finis ***_


End file.
